Livin' Like Muggles
by secretfanficlover
Summary: Harry and Draco go into hiding after the war, and Draco complains about everything, until a little being comes into the couples life that changes things forever, and for the better. House: Hufflepuff Year: 4 Category: Standard Prompt: [Speech] "How come we have to do it this way?" Word Count: 1362 Drarry, Post-war, Au canon.


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

House: Hufflepuff

Year: 4

Category: Standard

Prompt: [Speech] "How come we have to do it this way?"

Word Count: 1362

Drarry, Post-war, Au canon.

[Note: If Draco appears to be out of character, keep in mind I am disregarding _Cursed Child_, and counting on Draco realising he was pushed into something he didn't want to be part of, and therefore he became more tolerable, if still a bit whiny.]

_**Livin' Like Muggles**_

"How come we have to do it _this_ way?" Draco complained as they walked up to the car parked in their driveway.

Harry sighed. "Love, I've explained this before. We can't be drawing attention to ourselves, so we have to blend in." He had Draco get in the driver's seat of the car, questioning his own sanity.

The car was an old red Toyota— nothing flashy, the perfect car to learn to drive. Since they'd gone into hiding, Harry had devoted months to giving him daily lessons on various skills, yet almost every day Draco would still whine about "living like a Muggle". Mainly, he hated learning to drive. But today would be their last lesson before Draco would go to take the driver's test. At that thought, Harry laughed.

"What?" Draco responded, pausing before checking his seatbelt, adjusting the mirrors, and locking the doors.

"I can't believe that you still complain every time I make you drive." Harry replied.

"Purebloods aren't meant to drive, Potter," he whined, the old rivalry flaring up and making him forget that it was Potter-Malfoy now.

When Harry and Draco eloped, many in the wizarding world were outraged, so stuck in their ways that they couldn't cope. Draco had been receiving threats, causing Harry to decide it was time for them to go into hiding. They had since learned to survive in the Muggle world. Harry missed his friends in the wizarding world, but he knew they understood. He couldn't have his husband's life in danger.

Harry's parents had left him enough money that he was able to open bank accounts for both his husband and himself. Draco had been disowned after his parents had found out he was gay, so he didn't have anything to fall back on. This was one of the reasons that Harry had decided it would be a good idea to make connections, as well as build up their finances again. This lead them to both finding Muggle jobs. Draco had found a job at the bank and easily managed to fit in with the other bankers. Harry found he had a passion for teaching that he had been holding onto since the days of Dumbledore's Army. It wasn't a shock to Draco when his husband got a job as a kindergarten teacher.

He was chatting with Draco as they drove when Draco pulled expertly into a parking spot just across from their grocery store. When they shopped for groceries, they generally split up to get through the store faster. Draco didn't love it, but he put up with it for Harry's sake.

As they entered the store and were about to go their separate ways, Harry heard his husband mutter, "How come we have to do it this way?"

When he saw Harry's exasperated face, Draco smirked. Without waiting for a response, he winked and headed to the fresh food section with his trolley. He was heading for the fresh food just laughed at his husband's childish behaviour and looked at him fondly before going off in the opposite direction.

Draco was in the fruit and vegetable section when he overheard two old ladies using the phrase "…comparing apples and pears…" Hee had never heard of this curious phrase, and decided he would ask Harry about it, because it must be a Muggle saying. As much as he protested, he knew that learning more about their new world would benefit him, he sometimes struggles to have "small talk" as such with his various colleagues because of his still limited Muggle knowledge, growing up as a Pureblood leaves little room for idle curiosities.

When they got home, there was a grey barn owl standing on their mailbox. Draco's blood chilled, paranoid from having received so many death threats.

"They found us," he muttered to Harry in dismay.

"Calm down," Harry said walking closer to the owl.

Harry sighed when he recognized the Hogwarts crest on the envelope; it had to be from Dumbledore. Dumbledore had personally agreed to become their Secret Keeper, so there was no way anyone would find out where they were.

The owl stuck out his foot in a huff, clearly annoyed at having waited on them so long. Harry took the letter and reassured Draco, "Only Dumbledore."

"Just as bad," Draco responded with a smirk, calmer now. "So, what does he want?"

Draco saw Harry's expression changing as he read and was too nosy to wait his turn. As soon as Harry finished, he grabbed the letter and read it for himself.

_Draco & Harry,_

_I am sorry to be writing with regards to something so devastating. Andromeda has fallen ill, and it seems unlikely that she will recover. We need someone to look after Teddy, who has just turned 4. Harry, you are Teddy's only other relative, and though not yet a legal guardian, it will fall upon you should Andromeda fail to be able to take care of the child._

_You are all the boy has left in the world. I beseech you both, search your hearts and let me know what you decide._

_I trust you will make the right choice._

_Albus Dumbledore._

They shared one look and Draco knew his husband was being sucked into Dumbledore's web again. They couldn't possibly be the _only _option. Draco couldn't hold back a loud tirade about Dumbledore's blatant manipulations, complaining about, "This stupid Gryffindor doesn't think before he acts."

"But, Harry, why do _we_ need to take him?" he asked desperately, even though he knew he would eventually give in, this was something his husband wouldn't give up on. He felt responsible for Teddy, even though many of his friends had told him it wasn't his fault that Teddy was growing up without his parents.

"I want this kid to grow up knowing how much he is loved. Teddy is my godson, and he deserves the best," Harry vowed. "I know we aren't Remus or Tonks, but we'll take good care of him."

Eventually they came to the agreement that they needed to help Teddy. Harry insisted it would only be temporary, that Andromeda would get well, but Draco knew better. Draco knew that she probably had very little time left. He knew this because Adromenda was a strong independent woman and if she couldn't take care of Teddy, there was little chance of her recovering. She hated showing weakness and he was already making peace with her passing on.

So, he prepared himself to permanently share their townhouse with a tiny toddler. Draco knew that Harry would dote on the child, but he wasn't prepared for how quickly the little guy would crawl into his own heart.

The day Teddy arrived, Draco was anxious. He wasn't sure he was the best role model for a four-year-old.

As soon as they got Teddy, they loved him as if he were their own. However, Andromeda had spoiled him a bit, and once he started talking, he said,"Why do we live like Muggles, Uncle Harry?" This was clearly partly because of his grandmother's influence; and partly because of Draco's constant complaints about their living environment.

Draco couldn't help but snigger.

In time, Teddy adjusted to living with his uncles, but the news of his grandma's death rattled both Teddy and Harry.

Once Teddy became part of their household, neither of them could possibly let the little one go.

Once again, the couple was on their monthly shopping trip to the grocery store. This time, they walked together, one keeping Teddy busy while the other checked the list and took items off the shelves.

Harry was talking to Teddy seriously, and Draco smirked when he overheard Teddy say "But Uncle Harry, I want sweeties."

"If you're a good boy, you can get sweeties at home," Harry tried to reason with the toddler.

Then something happened that shocked Draco— the next words out of that cute little mouth were his own.

"But how come we have to do it this way?" Teddy complained.

The couple's eyes met, and Draco looked at Harry as if to say, _"Am I that bad?_" Harry just nodded.

Message received, loud and clear.


End file.
